Subject to Reddit memes and other gamer humor, the Steam Summer Sale is a unique event in the calendar of electronic entertainment. Arriving abruptly, unexpectedly, it empties wallets and bank accounts with rapacious ease. Its low prices are particularly good at getting gamers to buy games that they might not ever play — better to have them “just in case,” though, right?

The Game Front staff is far from immune. Below follows a list of the games our intrepid writers and editors bought — out of impulse, obligation, or curiosity — with their hard-earned Game Front wages this time around. If you spot something you own also, join our Steam Group — let’s game together!

Ron Whitaker – Editor

Max Payne 3 – I loved the first two Max Payne games, but I hadn’t had a chance to pick the newest installment up yet. Seeing it 75% off made this deal a no-brainer.

The Darkness II – Ditto Darkness II. I was a huge fan of the first game, and the chance to see what Jackie is up to now at a discount price was too alluring to pass up.

Age of Empires III: The Complete Collection – I actually own a physical copy of AoE3, but the chance to pick up all the additional content for less than $10 got me to buy it again. Plus, I don’t have to brave the closet where all those discs are stored.

ARMA 2 & Operation Arrowhead – I bought these two just so I can get in on Day Z. All my friends are begging me to play, and now I can.

Alan Wake/Alan Wake’s American Nightmare – I own the collector’s edition of Alan Wake on 360, but the chance to replay it on the PC was something I couldn’t pass up, especially when they tossed in the follow-up as well.

Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition – Another title that DLC got me to buy again. I have my retail discs handy, but all the DLC for under $10 and the convenience of Steam had my wallet open again.

Saints Row: The Third – I’ve not had the chance to enjoy the mayhem that is Saints Row in its latest iteration. That will now be corrected.

RAGE – Now that many of RAGE’s initial issues have been patched, I can’t pass up a chance to go post-apocalyptic hunting again.

Thief Series – I had a ton of fun with these games over the years, but I have mislaid a couple of the discs I need to play them. Rather than actually tackle the task of finding them, I just decided to give Steam some money.

F.E.A.R. Series – Another franchise I bought just to save me the trouble of re-installing from discs. Plus, I haven’t gotten to play as Paxton Fettel in F.E.A.R. 3 yet.

Fallout: New Vegas Complete – Once again I re-buy a game to play it on PC instead of 360. Also, DLC. I’m sensing a pattern here.

From Dust – I had actually almost completely forgotten about From Dust until it popped on the Steam sale. I’m a sucker for god games.

Legend of Grimrock – Speaking of things I am a sucker for, how about an old school dungeon crawler?

Mark Burnham – Editor

Legend of Grimrock – It looks fascinating, and it was $5.99—which sums up my mind set during most Steam purchases. This one also caught some indie-buzz when it hit. A medieval fantasy-themed RPG, our own Phil Hornshaw described it as “addictive in a perfectly old-school way.” Sold! To the guy browsing the Steam sale with six dollars to burn.

The Binding of Isaac – It was $1.24, it’s been described as “Zelda-like” with its old school top-down action game formula, I’ve missed Zelda games recently (namely, A Link to the Past), it kicked up controversy when it hit due to its subject matter, and it was $1.24. There was literally nothing preventing this purchase.

Borderlands GOTY – The most expensive game I purchased, at a whopping $7.49. While I formerly owned the Xbox 360 version of Borderlands, I could never find the time to fully go down the rabbit hole. With Borderlands 2 out later this year, this seemed like a solid library addition. It’s the same motivation people have for “wanting to read the book before seeing the movie.” I want to play more Borderlands before I experience Borderlands 2.

Phil Hornshaw – Writer

My Steam summer sale experience was actually somewhat subdued this year, partially because I binged so hard on the last few Steam sales that there really wasn’t much I didn’t already have or really wanted. Steam has a knack for providing me with a game I’m marginally interested in for less than $5 or $10 however, so that facilitated snagging a few things that I’ll hopefully have a chance to get to later. I’ve also nabbed quite a few indie titles that will hopefully sate my need for new ideas.

Star Wars: The Knights of the Old Republic – Steam is a solid way to “future-proof” a lot of my games collection at a really low price. I played KOTOR what feels a long time ago (I’m not writing the second half here so just keep it in your brain), and my copy is for Xbox; so snagging a super-cheap PC copy means that if I ever get around to replaying it for the fifth or sixth time, I won’t have to rely on the kindness of Microsoft.

Vessel – An indie title I’ve been wanting to check out for a while, I was able to get Vessel for about $2.50. That it strongly recommends playing it with a gamepad, however, does not play in its favor, especially because the keyboard controls seem a little loose. Still, I’ve managed to give it 15 minutes of a test-drive, and the puzzle-solving and steam punk art style are engaging.

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth – After crowd-sourcing my search for new horror titles, good ol’ elder god Cthulhu came up and, seeing as I haven’t gotten on this one yet, I snagged it. Again: $6 or less.

Nexuiz – A friend said to buy it. It cost less than a cup of coffee. End of story.

Stacking – Another title I own on another platform, I managed to grab Stacking when it first appeared on the Playstation Network as part of my Playstation Plus membership. I generally dislike playing games on my Playstation and when I let Playstation Plus lapse, I’ll lose a lot of titles, including this one. I’d rather play $4 now than $50 later.

Space Pirates and Zombies – Now with bounty hunters, another game that pinged my radar months ago and which I scooped up with a $2.50 price tag. Does anyone else feel guilty when they do that? I feel like I’m taking food out of developers’ mouths when I grab their games for the same price I pay for a parking meter.

Ben Richardson – Writer

Limbo – I never got around to buying this on Xbox LIVE, and it’s high time I gave it a playthrough. I’m not gererally huge on puzzle platformers, but I like when games pick one thing to do and do it really well; Limbo’s striking aesthetic and somber mood seem like a good example of that.

Grand Theft Auto: III Pack – Shameful as it is, I’ve never experienced the exploits of Tommy Vercetti and Carl “CJ” Johnson. These games might be technologically a bit dated, but in terms of setting (and soundtrack!) they can’t be beat. The modding scene is also surprisingly robust.

Alan Wake Series – Sadly, I know everything that happens in this game because I edited the Game Front walkthrough. Still, it seems like a well-written game with some unique, creative mechanics, and the Stephen King-meets-Twin Peaks setting certainly intrigues.

Medieval II: Total War – I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Total War junkie, but I’ve generally given short shrift to Medieval II, which is regarded by some as Creative Assembly’s best effort. I had to return my borrowed copy to a friend — now I have my own.

Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition – Another classic I’m shamefully unfamiliar with. I like cyberpunk, I like RPG’s with lots of choice, and liked Human Revolution. Pretty much a no-brainer.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion – It’s been a while since I really got into a 4X game — more than a decade, maybe, dating back to my teenage obsession with Master of Orion 2. I hear a lot of talk about Sins of a Solar Empire, so I figured I’d see what the newest entry in the series had going on. (N.B. This might not actually have been on Steam Sale)

What did you buy during the Steam Summer Sale? Let us know in the comments, and please join the Game Front Steam Group if so inclined.

After a few minutes spent with the early levels of The Darkness II at E3 2011, I decided to pick up a used copy of the original The Darkness and reacquaint myself with it.

A few short hours later, I was racked with fear. Despite my memories (and excessive first-run playtime) of The Darkness, replaying it was absolutely terrible. The game’s presentation and story were compelling, but its gameplay was painfully frustrating and annoyingly designed.

Lucky for us, The Darkness II is such a vast improvement on the mechanics of the first game that it’s hard to see much resemblance between the two in terms of gameplay. Digital Extremes has taken the reigns of the franchise and turned around a tightly controlled, fairly taught first-person shooter experience that trades excessive freedom for giving the player phenomenal power and plenty of opportunities to use it.

The Darkness series is based on the comic books of the same name from Top Cow Productions, which also produced such stories as Witchblade. The story follows a mob hitman named Jackie Estacado who is cursed to be the host of The Darkness, a demonic force left over from Creation (as in, the physical manifestation that’s opposite of the light created by God in the opening words of The Bible). The Darkness feeds on death and destruction; in the first game, it manifested on Jackie’s twenty-first birthday, forced him to watch his girlfriend’s murder, and then drove him to exact revenge on the mob bosses who turned on him.

After the events of the first Darkness game, Jackie has been on the seat of power in the Franchetti Crime Family for two years, made boss by his murderous rampage and the fact that he has demons that help him do stuff. He also has kept The Darkness in check for the last two years — but the game opens with Jackie surviving a hit squad, and in order to make it through, he has to let the demon back out. Cue many levels of shooting guys and tearing them apart.

The life of a mob boss possessed by a powerful demonic entity from Hell isn’t easy, you’re going to need whatever edge you can get to survive the brutal onslaught from the Brotherhood. The secret society wants only one thing, the Darkness itself, and they’ll do whatever is necessary to take it for themselves. Of course, you aren’t about to let that happen, and the bonus points these hidden relics provide will allow main protagonist Jackie to unlock his devastating abilities even earlier. Don’t stumble around in the dark, let Game Front’s quick location guide show you the way.

Mmmm Essence! (10 points / Bronze):
Pick up 5 Relics in the single player campaign.

Relic Hunter (50 points / Silver):
Find all 29 Relics in the single player campaign.

Relic Locations

Mission: Payback

Relic 1: After the Darkling saves you, exit the building and check out the alley. There are lots of items scattered around, with the first relic among them.

Relic 2: Take the stairs down onto the subway platform and turn all the way around, following the lip of the platform toward a red light.

Mission: The Family (Or anytime you visit the Mansion Hub.)

Relic 3: Inside the mansion, head up stairs and take a turn left. The book is found in the bedroom, on a table to your left.

Mission: Q and A

Relic 4: Entering the bar, clear the area of enemies. To the right, you’ll find an arcade with two machines. Find the relic on the ground, in the corner, right next to the machines.

Relic 5: Continue through the mission until you reach a shrine. Turn left from the shrine and follow the path to it’s natural end to find the relic. Be sure to pick up this relic before using the shrine or entering the Construction Area.

Relic 6: After destroying the crane, use it as a ramp to climb up, circle around the base of the crane, and enter the construction office to find the relic.

Relic 7: Continue through the mission until reaching a room with a conveyor belt. Look on the righthand side of the room, and jump over the conveyor to search a closet between two tool racks. The relic is inside the small closet.

Relic 8: After reaching another shrine, you’ll proceed into a guarded room with a generator. Destroy the generator, and continue upstairs into a small office. The relic is inside, on the floor just right of the door.

Mission: Strong Silent Type

Relic 9: Just as the mission begins, turn right and run down the path until reaching a deadend. The relic is behind a truck, accessible by a steps off to the side.

Relic 10: Continue until you’re stopped by two enemies breaching through doors armed with riot shields. Clear them out, and look in the corner of the hallway for a stack of crates.

Mission: Deal with the Devil

Relic 11: After you’re set free in the interrogation room, turn left and look on the floor for this relic.

Relic 12: Continue through the mission. Early on, you’ll have to go down a set of blue stairs, leading to a door. Don’t go through the door yet, instead look right for the relic on a set of emergency stairs. Use your left Demon Arm to grab the relic.

Mission: Home Invasion

Relic 13: Look for a Security Office in the Parking Garage after you’re attacked by two goons with flashlights. Before having a conversation with anyone, or using the elevators, just rip open the door into the Security Office. The relic is inside.

Relic 14: After reaching the kitchen of the mansion, enter another room to your right. The relic itself is next to your fireplace.

Mission: Saying Goodbye

Relic 15: After a conversation, you’ll enter the gatheting at the cemetary. Look to the right of a planter, and check behind the statue. You can get this relic before or aftering talking to Jimmy, but not after heading up the steps.

Relic 16: Smash another generator to get through another gate, and follow the path into another line of mausoleums. Turn left and look behind the first tomb as you enter the area to find the relic.

Mission: Fun and Games

Relic 17: Just as you enter the carnival, turn left and continue until reaching another lamppost, then make a right at the food stand. Look for a pile of crates on the ground near some old amusement stands.

Relic 18: Starting another section of the mission, you’ll spot two thugs running from a concessions area with scattered picnic tables. Enter the area yourself to find a relic on the ground behind a lamppost.

Relic 19: After playing a second game at the carnival, an ambush of enemies will appear. Look at the booth, and you should spot an open door to your left. The relic itself is on the floor, inside the false castle.

Relic 20: Destroy the clown-themed gate and turn left to enter into a new building. Inside, you’ll find a locked door to your right with a relic on the table inside. Shoot out the light and use your Demon Arm to grab the relic.

Relic 21: Just before the end of the mission, you’ll enter a garage with a large truck inside. Circle around the truck to find this relic sitting out on a table.

Relic 22: Before entering the Castle of Horrors, just look inside the Ticket Booth to find the relic. Use your Demon Arm, or just navigate around to the back of the booth.

Mission: Rat In A Maze

Relic 23: When you reach Jackie, you’ll reach two thugs that need to be dispatched. Here, look for a sideroom off the main path. This little storage room contains the relic, laying on the ground.

Relic 24: Back as Jackie, continue on the path until reaching Jackie’s Father’s office, the same room where you collect a rifle. Look on the rightside of the room from the entrance to find your relic.

Mission: Homecoming

Relic 25: After destroying a wall to make a bridge, stop and enter the newly created hole in the wall instead of the bridge. Inside the room, check the corner to your right to find this relic. Use the Demon Arm to grab it.

Relic 26: Fight through the ballroom, upstairs, and toward a collapsing wall after navigating the holes in the floor. Use an extended plank to look through the collapsed wall into an inaccessible room. The relic is inside, use your Demon Arm to grab it.

Mission: Last Stand

Relic 27: After entering the attic, jump down a set of smashed steps and turn right. The relic itself is on the corner, near a broken mirror and a sign for Hellgate Field.

Mission: Heart of Darkness

Relic 29: Continue through the stage until you’re forced to look at a certain NPC. Instead of following, turn right to find the relic down a path. Grab it before trying to jump over any spikes.

Relic 28: Pushing on through the mission, there’s a point where you’ll need to use the Demon Arm to clear a path. Instead of using the Demon Arm, turn right to find the last relic on the ground, located between the wall and a pile of debris.

After exacting his revenge, Jackie Estacado is living the good life in The Darkness 2 as Don of the Franchetti crime family. Naturally, the peace doesn’t last long as an assassination attempt spirals into a full-on gang war between the two major families. Worst of all, in order the survive, Jackie must call upon the Darkness. The same deadly creature that saved his life once, and helped take away the only woman he ever loved, is being hunted by a shadowy group of mystics known only as The Brotherhood. It’s a twisting tale, filled with some seriously deadly new opponents that fight the supernatural Darkness with supernatural forces of their own. Join Game Front as they travel down, deep, into the bowels of The Darkness 2.

Can’t get enough information on the anticipated cross-platform sequel? Check out our many lists on the achievements, trophies, and cheats pages.

Welcome to the achievements page for The Darkness 2, where achievement hunters everywhere can get a sneak peek at their next gamerscore fix. Reprising your role as Jackie, the monstrous force from Hell known as the Darkness is back to help fight off an all new threat known as The Brotherhood. Don’t simply dual wield, you’ll be quad wielding as you use two guns at once, combined with your Darkness tendrils. Collect hearts to improve your skills, and fight off the supernatural threat coming to steal away your source of power.

Beware the light in The Darkness 2. The evil forces possessing Jackie are on the defensive, as a secret organization and Jackie himself want the hellspawn gone. After a deadly assassination attempt, Jackie must try to quell a rapidly expanding gang war while trying to discover just who engineered the conflict. Dark forces are at work, and Jackie will have access to even more powers to fight the supernatural threat he now faces.

Mob wars are always dirty, so join the hitmen at Game Front as we solve problems in our text and video walkthrough. For more secrets, tips, tricks, and extras, check into the cheats page.

Trophies

Conquered the Darkness (Platinum):
Unlock all trophies.

Free the Mind (Silver):
Finish the game on any difficulty.

Don of Darkness (Gold):
Finish the game on Don difficulty.

At Home in the Dark (Gold):
Finish all chapters in New Game+ on any difficulty.

One Man Army (Bronze):
Kill 25 enemies while being dragged from the restaurant, without dying or restarting checkpoint.

The Bird is the Word (Bronze):
Avoid being run over in the parking garage.

Carnie Kid (Bronze):
Earn a score of over 1000 in each of the carnival games.

Impish Delight (Bronze):
Kill 15 enemies while playing as the Darkling.

Executioner (Bronze):
Kill 50 enemies with Executions while playing as Jackie.

The Swarm King (Bronze):
Kill 50 enemies who are swarmed while playing as Jackie.

The Old Gibber (Bronze):
Kill 100 enemies with Gun Channeling while playing as Jackie.

Suck It Up (Bronze):
Kill 50 enemies with Black Hole while playing as Jackie.

Cut and Run (Bronze):
Kill 50 enemies with the Demon Arm Slash attack.

Here on the cheats page, we cover everything extra related to The Darkness 2. Expect to see an always expanding list of special material like secrets, guides, and hints — all listed and linked for your browsing convenience. The mysteries of The Darkness 2 will be brought to light and exposed for all the internet to see! Or, if you’re so inclined, you can take a stop at Game Front’s own text and video walkthrough that’ll help you survive the deadly campaign and keep you entertained along the way. Otherwise, just keep scrolling down for all we have to offer.

]]>http://www.gamefront.com/the-darkness-2-launch-trailer/feed/1Green Man Gaming Wants To Give You 25% Off On Pre-ordershttp://www.gamefront.com/green-man-gaming-wants-to-give-you-25-off-on-pre-orders/
http://www.gamefront.com/green-man-gaming-wants-to-give-you-25-off-on-pre-orders/#commentsMon, 23 Jan 2012 11:51:11 +0000Phil Owenhttp://www.gamefront.com/?p=147848
I’m pulling an all-nighter tonight because of tornadoes (yay tornadoes) tearing through the area, and I figured I would take advantage of this opportunity to try to brighten somebody’s day.

I’m going to do that by telling you that right now at Green Man Gaming, one of the best PC game download services thanks to their X% off vouchers, is offering 25% off all pre-orders for the month of January. That means you can get a good price on stuff like The Darkness II and King Arthur II, and if you use greenmangaming.co.uk, you can get the deal on Mass Effect 3.

To get the deal, use code CUSTO-MERLO-YALTY at checkout, and that’s all you need to do!

Well, 2012 is upon us. For those of us not embroiled in Star Wars: The Old Republic or still catching up on the insane release schedule of 2011 (I’m in both camps), it’s time to look forward to what we’ll be playing in the New Year.

There are some huge games ahead on the horizon, and for PC players, there are a few that are definitely worth paying attention to. It might not be a year as intensely packed with big releases as 2011 was — yet — but there are sure to be quite a few games that garner a lot of your free time and gaming dollar. Here’s a rundown of every big release yet on our radar and everything you should be watching in anticipation.

JanuaryFinal Fantasy XIII-2Coming: Jan. 31On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3

Square Enix’s follow-up to last year’s record-breaking Final Fantasy XIII forwards the story of Lightning and pals three years into the future. And, you know… it’s Final Fantasy.

King Arthur II: The Role-playing WargameComing: JanuaryOn: PC

The sequel to the fantasy/role-playing RTS released in 2010 takes you way forward in the legend of King Arthur, with Britain rent asunder and Arthur struggling with his own grievous injuries. The Holy Hand Grenade will not be part of the game, though — King Arthur takes a darker tone than that.

SoulCalibur VComing: Jan. 31On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3

Namco Bandai is packing boobs into tiny clothing in the next iteration of its weapons-heavy fighting title. There’s already controversy about the advertising, to boot.

]]>http://www.gamefront.com/get-to-know-every-big-release-in-2012/feed/12Pre-Puchase The Darkness II on Steam, Get Some Free Stuffhttp://www.gamefront.com/pre-puchase-the-darkness-ii-on-steam-get-some-free-stuff/
http://www.gamefront.com/pre-puchase-the-darkness-ii-on-steam-get-some-free-stuff/#commentsFri, 06 Jan 2012 21:01:58 +0000Phil Owenhttp://www.gamefront.com/?p=146062
Steam has revealed that if you pre-purchase The Darkness II, you get upgraded to the Limited Edition! Yay! So what does that get you? Well, it gets you a few things.

Custom artwork illustrated by Marc Silvestri (artwork will be downloaded as a .pdf to your Darkness II folder in the directory: …Steam\steamapps\common\)
Free digital download of The Darkness Origins Volume 1 and 2 comics (redeemable through comiXology.com)

By any measure, 2011 has been a huge year for gamers, and for gaming. Particularly the second half of the year, which saw the releases of Batman: Arkham City, Minecraft, Modern Warfare 3, Skyrim, Uncharted 3, Saints Row: The Third and Battlefield 3. As big as all that is, 2012 is already looking like it’s going to be bigger. In the first quarter alone, we’re getting Diablo III and the end of the Mass Effect series, and those are just the biggest names. We’re also getting the return of Counter-Strike and Crusader Kings, more unnecessary boobies, and some surprisingly decent fighting games. Really, the question isn’t what are you going to play, but on which platform? (PC, duh.)

As 2011 draws to a close, let’s take a look at what we’ll be obsessed with next year. Here’s GameFront’s look ahead to gaming in the first part of 2012.

January

We feel kind of bad starting out this list with a console exclusive, but we’re making an exception to our usual rigorous standards because January is delivering not one but 2 titles known for unnecessary breast emphasis. The first of these is Final Fantasy XIII-2. Yes, we know it’ll be inscrutable, incredibly dull, or both. Then again, who doesn’t love JRPGs with unnecessarily buxom schoolgirls? This won’t be the best game of 2012 by a longshot, but coming right at the top of the year, it’s sure to fill up plenty of time until Mass Effect 3. Plus, the hot schoolgirl outfits. They’re guaranteed.

We all know that whatever else happens, Soulcalibur V will deliver what fans want: Scantily clad female fighters who, for some reason, don’t need armor to protect their breasts. I kid, I kid. Soulcalibur V sees the return of more than a dozen classic characters and a few newbs, plenty of tweaks to make an old favorite seem fresh, and in a weird turn, the appearance of Ezio from Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series. Guaranteed to be as fun as it is full of unarmored women and combination sword/whips, after nearly 4 years since the last installment in the series, this is the fighting game you’ll want to own in 2012.

2K Games has announced that the upcoming demon-power-imbued The Darkness II isn’t just going to include one story, but two: the main single-player campaign and a cooperative mode called “Vendettas,” which will support up to four players.

“Vendettas” concerns four players running parallel missions to the main story with four different characters that each wield a weapon that makes use of the signature “Darkness” demonic power. The levels are “team-focused,” it seems, and will explore areas of the game that tie to the lore, which includes The Darkness comics, but aren’t necessarily in the game’s main campaign. There will also be a “Hit List” mode that lets co-op players relive moments from the single-player campaign from a different angle.

Here’s a list of the four characters and their descriptions, care of VG247:

Inugami: Wielding the mythical Kusanagi samurai sword rumored to have killed ten thousand innocents, Inugami is a dark and mentally unstable character with revenge-driven motives against The Brotherhood and their allies for the slaughter of his entire family. He can also use a swarm of miniature demons to attack and immobilize his enemies.

Shoshanna: Shoshanna is an ultra-efficient agent for Mossad, the Israeli Intelligence Agency, who was sent to New York to combat a spike in Brotherhood activity. Her obedience and devotion to her superiors makes her a perfect operative, and she harbors a passion for hunting and destroying evil in the world as part of her legacy. Shoshanna wields the Arm of the Night, a powerful weapon fueled with Dark essence and the power to fire multiple rounds of gunfire at one time.

Jimmy Wilson: A product of inner-city Glasgow, Scotland, and a notorious alcoholic, Jimmy believes The Brotherhood is simply another form of the Hated English that persecuted his family in the past, and he travels to New York to torment them to the fullest extent. He wields the Dark Axe, and has the ability to summon Darklings that he commonly refers to as “Little Jimmys”.

J.P. DuMond: A former doctor from New Orleans, DuMond is burdened with guilt for using a form of Louisiana Voodoo to heal his patients. The use of dark magic drew the attention of The Brotherhood, an organization which J.P. is now forced to combat in order to halt their pursuit of evil relics. J.P. wields the Midnight Stick and can pull enemies into an anatomy-crushing vortex when he tosses his Box of Tricks – a black metal box filled with dark power – into an open area.